The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-12-30
J, PA, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 80. 1887.

tremendous while TO walt With fellow
drenched to the skin all the time BY George,
was mover out in such rain. I shall catch
nice cold, ! am afraid You have bad
cold, young lady"
~ caught cold last night.n
"Not-not at that windowr
"Yes, at that window
"Oh, come, am awfully sorry for that, y
Mr. Bird cried; II didn't think Of that. I
thought some gentleman, or servant, or por-
ter might be up, for there wns light burn
ing over the hall door, and It wouldn't be a
great deal Of trouble and save my getting
wet through. Why, would much rather
have lost my umbrella altogether than have
given you cold, although It's an umbrella
which l would not take R20 for-no, nor ESQ
either"
"1s it a very valuable umbrellaT'
"Oh, no, not at all; but, as you know now,
it's my best umbrella in every sense of the
word" he said laughing, my very best um.
brella, don't you seer
But did not see; neither the application
nor the umbrella was apparent to me, and
my heart quite sank at the news which had
to impart to him. The man was so enwrapped
In his Misunderstanding fguratively-tha
L felt it was necessary to break the news
gently.
I'm sorry to say don't see,n I replied,
"for the fact isr-
Yes, he was impulsive, and dashed TO con-
clusions; and the smile did leave his face as
suddenly and completely as If somebody had
pulled 1t away by string, and a settled look
of horror, and for an instant open mouthed
idiocy, took its place.
The fact is" he repeated, very slowly at
last; "go on, please.'
THAT there was no umbrella down our
area at all"
"Oh that won't do,n he exclaimed, 30
abruptly and rudely that I felt the color
coming up all over me; that won't do at
any price"
81 don't know what you mean by any
price, sir" said, drawing myself up to my
full height, as the novelists say--and that
height was exactly five feet three inches and
half when fully drawn up and little bit
ON tiptoe-"but you must take my word, sir,
that haven't set eyes on your umbrella"
mo, Miss Neild, 1 don't suppose you
have" he said, very quickly; "don't think
that l think that you think-that-that---
why, Of course, DON'T he said, tumbling
into another sentence as the first one became
hopelessly involved, "and it's not at all likely
but it went down your area-I was perfectly
sober--and the servants must have seen it in
eho AlioihihS. may L dSh tu6 beTNaQISF
81 have asked them.n
"Isn't there a page boy or somebody who
cor,93 carly to clean somethingn
'No.n
'Who is the first to go into that area in the
morning, Miss Neildf" he inquired; "some-
body for Goals, supposer'
bridget or Sarah, certainly
II should very much like to see Bridget
and Sarah" i" he suggested, "if you would not
object"
"You must be content with my word, sir,
that your umbrella is not on the premises" !"
said, still loftily; 81 cannot have my SER
wants subjected to cross-examination on
this question. l have already made every
inquiry"
"They tell you they have not seen my um-
brellaf'
They do"
"And you believe thenT'
Certainly
"Well, l dont-and that's plain speak
ing" he said frantically.
"Pm aware Of that"
Because, you see, it is quite impossible,
unless there's anybody else in the house who
gets up earlier than the servants. Is there
anybody elser he asked.
Eyes, there's a gentleman who lodges in
my front parlors who leaves very early,
"That's the man. Where is herr cried
Mr.. Bird, with a frantic dash in q new di.
rection Of suspicion. 81 should like to sec
him.
"He's gentleman holding high position
on the railway, and is not at all likely to con.
fscate property that does not belong to him. =
I said.
~ don't say he has conflscated it." an.
swered Mr. Bird, less brusquely, "but he
may have seen it this morning, and put II
aside for further inquiries
"Mr. Goode is not In tho habit of going
into my area" l sad; 81 don't believe he La,
been in the area in the whole course of his
hfe."
"Not before this morning, Miss Neild-.
very likely not, having nothing to go for, a.
It were. But when he caught sight of all
umbrella-and a very peculiar umbrella
lying on the wet stones, haven't the slight
est doubtn-
''He could not get into the area, SIR"
said; bridget takes up the key with her
every night, and, besides, told him about
the umbrella this morning"
"What did he say to thatr'
"He said it was like your impertinence-
confounded impertinence' may say, were
the actual words used,n I answered, "to
make such a noise in the middle Of the night,
and he should like to give you piece of bis
mind"
"Oh he said that, did her he remarked,
biting his finger nails almost savagely.
"Yesn
"Then he's the man who's got my umbrel-
la" he cried; ~ see it all now. He's keeping
it back out of spite"
p;rI L. -. u, ~
II suppose no was the fellow believing
about the house like bull last night, trying
to mako somebody understand that I was
knocking. l heard him"
mo, he was not the fellow" l replied,
severely; "that was Capt. Choppers"
docs Capt. Choppers got up earlyY'
"No, he doesn't; he's very late riser, in
deed believe he's in bed now"
That's his artfulness, n said the suspicious
individual, Just to make you fancy"-
But would not allow him to proceed any
further. l was fairly reused by this
strangers disparaging reflections. rose,
looked steadily and gravely at him, and said:
This interview is at an end, Mr.. Bird
These gentlemen are my lodgers--I might
say almost my friends-and | cannot listen
to your cruel and uncalled for remarks
against their common honestly
Common honesty it may be, Miss Neildn
be replied; "but you must allow there is
very uncommon dishonesty somewhere in
your establishment
81 will allow nothing"
II don't mean l want you to allow me any
thing for the loss of my umbrella n he said,
hurriedly pray don't understand that to
be my wishn
'Of course not. The idealn